1940: Massillon 64, Cleveland Cathedral Latin 0

Tigers Crush Cathedral Latin 64 – 0 In Opening Game

GREAT BLOCKING FEATURES VICTORY

Visistors, In Good Condition, Fight To Finish But Are Unable To Stem Tiger Advances; Massillon Second Team Shows Speed.

By LUTHER EMERY

Midst a setting of splendor that made between 16,000 and 17,000 fans gasp with amazement and enthusiasm, the Washington high Tigers launched their 1940 football season at Tiger Stadium Friday evening with a 64-0 triumph over a game Cathedral Latin Lion.

With teams battling, bands playing, fans cheering and fireworks shooting beneath a peaceful harvest moon, you could hardly help wondering why the other half of the world had given up this sort of thing and sent its youth to be killed and maimed in a struggle for life and death, and when the bands formed the letters USA and played “God Bless America,” you were thankful that there is not blackout here – that America can still congregate without fear from rain of death, and that its youth can still fight its battles on the gridiron.

Touchdown Tide Comes in Early

The 64 – 0 score doesn’t look like much of a fight, but the Tiger players themselves will tell you the Lions were hard to move, that they never once gave in.

Perhaps the awe of the spectacle, the capacity crowd, the impressive opening ceremonies upset the visitors a bit. Whatever it was, they played their poorest football the first five minutes while the Tigers were at their best at the same time to run up a 20 – 0 score and establish a lead that the Latin Lion could not hope to overcome.

With a big, strong line, charging in front of the pony backs, the Tigers looked the part of another fine football team. They made errors as any team will make in an opening night performance, but they beat down what was supposed to be the toughest high school line in Cleveland, to register 15 first downs and gain 446 yards from scrimmage to the Lions’ 61.

Line Stops Latin Offense

It was the charge of the Massillon forward wall that blasted the visitors’ apart from the start, and they never could quite pull themselves together again. They tried various stunts, but invariably a wave of Massillon men blocked their path. They never were able to get their offense in high gear, working the ball only once into Massillon territory, and then no nearer than the Tiger 49-yard line, where an intercepted pass stopped the attack.

There was no quitting on the part of the Lions, however, and they made their strongest defensive showing at the very end when they tossed the Tigers back for losses totaling 24 yards in three plays.

Behind their big line, the Massillon backs, on the other hand, were able to do most anything. They worked one forward pass for 50 yards and a touchdown; an end around play good for 42 yards produced another and the old Statue of Liberty was good for 72 and another.

Supporting the ball carriers too was good blocking. When Junior White got away for his 72-yard run from the statue, young sophomore Charles Holt cut down the last possible tackler with as pretty a block as you ever saw. Dick Kingham, to whom falls the task of blocking continually was bowling tacklers over all evening with vicious blocks that put his opponents on the ground for keeps.

It is blocking of this type that wins football games, and that is one big reason why the Tigers Friday evening were able to stretch their consecutive victory string to 24 games.

Three touchdowns were shoved over the Latin goal in the first quarter, two in the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth.

Nineteen of the points were made by inspired and speedy Tiger substitutes, who took over early in the third period after the score had mounted to 45 – 0. They finished the game. The lineup was also half filled with substitutes midway in the second quarter, but when the third period opened, all the regulars went back into the game.

Though the visitors failed to score and made but four first downs, one of them after pass interference they produced a good back in George Couisineau, a sophomore, who was up to his neck in the game at all times.

The Tigers had little in the way of an outstanding star. Horace Gillom carried out his numerous duties well and Coach Paul Brown after the game let it be known that he was pleased with the running of substitute Dick Adams, who scored two touchdowns and got away for several nice gains.

James’ Passing O.K.

An optimistic note also rode with the passes tossed by Tom James. He completed one for 50 yards, the ball carrying almost that distance in the air from the point of throwing. Several other long ones could as well have been completed, but were dropped by receivers.

All told the Tigers completed five of 13 pass for 99 yards.

The Massillon linemen rushed Jack Sague, and Jack Mason, the Latin passers so hurriedly that they had no time to pick out receivers. The Latin passers tossed 15 of them, completed three and had six others intercepted by the alert Massillon secondary. Guarding their flats carefully, the locals used a 6-3-2 defense a great part of the evening. Latin also used a six-man line, though an extra player hopped into the forward wall when within the shadow of his goal posts.

The honor of scoring the first touchdown fell to “Pokey” Blunt after Ray Getz had passed up the chance when he dropped James’ well placed pass on the 10-yard line. It came on the second series of plays after the kickoff. The Lions booted to the Tigers who got the ball out of bounds on their 33. Blunt made three yards, Gillom five, and James carried 21 yards to the Latin 38. Blunt advanced the leather six yards closer and James shot a pass that got into Getz’s hands but bounced out before he could get a secure hold on the ball. On the next play, Blunt dashed for a touchdown and Getz kicked the extra point.

Latin again chose to kick and again the Tigers obtained the ball on their 35. Gillom and James carried to midfield, where James dropped back, fired to Gillom, who caught the ball over the Latin safety man’s head and ran 10 yards for a touchdown. Getz’s placekick split the uprights for another point and the score was 14 – 0.

James kicked off to Mason who returned 10 yards to his 25-yard line. On the first play, Getz reached out, speared Mason’s pass on the 35 and returned to the 30. Blunt took the ball to the 15-yard line. James moved it up three yards and Blunt took it over for the touchdown. Getz’s kick for the extra point was low.

Overtime Penalties

The Tigers had to work hard for their next score that came in the first minute of the second quarter. After overcoming 30 yards in penalties, a pass from James to Robinson, planted the ball on the seven-yard line and it took three plays to get it over. Blunt cutting inside right tackle for the points. It boosted the score to 26 – 0.

An intercepted pass set the stage for the next, Gillom hauling in one of Sague’s desperate pegs on the 10-yard line. Interference was ruled on Adam’s following pass, giving the Tigers a first down on the one-yard line. Gillom went around left end on a mousetrap to hoist the score to 32 points. Gretz’s kick for the extra point was again wide.

With the regulars back in the game, the Tigers scored quickly in the third period. Getz returned Tom McFadden’s kick to his 44 and Blunt ran to a first down on the Latin 41. Gillom was brought around end and he carried the mail for 41 yards and a touchdown. The kick for the extra point was wide.

Leading 38 – 0, Bill Wallace put the locals in shape for their next points when he pounced on a Latin fumble on the 35-yard line after the visitors had gained 13 yards on the play. Line plays took the ball to the one-yard line, where James lugged it over and Getz kicked the extra point.

That was all for the regulars. They went to the showers and the rookies took up – and how. Adams hauled down another of Mason’s passes to give the Tigers the green light, on the Latin 42-yard line. Adams ran to the 19, and got away again to the six-yard line. He circled end for the touchdown. The attempted kick was blocked.

A quick kick by Richard Browne that soared over Adams’ head to the Tiger 20-yard line, again gave Massillon the ball. White and Adams moved it to the 49-yard line, but the Tigers were set back 15 yards for failing to halt a second on their shift. It didn’t discourage them, and Michigan’s old Statue of Liberty play was brought out for White, who raced 72 yards for the touchdown. It brought the score to 57 – 0.

Latin got ambitions in the fourth quarter and tried to make yardage on fourth down deep in its own garden. John Pizzino wormed through a hole, however, and tossed Browne for a big loss before he could kick the ball, gaining the pigskin for the Tigers on the 19-yard line. Pizzino made nine yards, lost two and then Adams crashed through for the remaining distance, leaving Pizzino to buck the 64th point across.

Coach Brown filled his ranks with third stringers, and gave all but a few of his players an opportunity to get in the game.

The Tigers emerged unscathed. Not a single time out was taken for injury to a Massillon player. The Lions too were in condition. A couple of players had the wind knocked out of them, but none was injured, a good record for a team beaten by 64 points.

The Tigers lost 74 yards in penalties, principally for holding and failing to stop the necessary second on the shift. Latin only lost five yards in penalties, for taking too much time in running a play.

Statistics Of The Game

Mass. Latin
First downs 15 4
Yards gained rushing 457 30
Yards gained passing 99 31
Total yards gained 556 61
Yards lost 39 29
Net yards gained 517 31
Passes completed 5 3
Passes intercepted 0 6
Passes incomplete 8 6
Yards lost penalties 74 5
Lost ball on fumbles 0 2
Recovered own fumbles 2 2
Times punted 2 3
Average punts 40 38
Times kicked off 9 3
Average kickoff 50 28

Tiger Roars

Massillon Pos. Latin
Robinson LE Haggerty
L. Cardinal LT Paltani
Wallace LG Hirsch
Appleby C Mahon
Russell RG Meter
Broglio RT Fougerousse
Gillom RE McFadden
Kingham QH Reinartz
James LH Mason
Getz RH Sague
Blunt FB Couisineau

Score by periods:
Massillon 20 12 19 13 – 64

Substitutions:
Massillon: F. Cardinal, g; Pizzino, fb; Oliver, t;
Erdley, hb; White, hb; P. Getz, e; Kanney, e;
Weisgarber, t; Adams, hb; Power, fb; Bray, e; Hill, g; Stout, c;
Graber, hb; Dolmas, t; Holt, qb; Miller, g; Fuchs, c.
Latin –Lange, t; Phelps, c; Caleb, qb; Bindokas, fb; Egert, t;
D. Browne, hb; Abood, g; Tercek, e; Galfidi, t; D’Arcangelo, e;
Phillips, t.

Touchdowns – Blunt 2, Gillom 3, Adams 2, James, White.

Points after touchdown – Getz 3 (placekicks), Pizzino (carried).

Referee – Brubaker.
Umpire – Jenkins.
Headlinesman – Hudson.
Field Judge – Graf.

Massillon Tops Latin, 64 – 0
Before 17,000 Amazed Fans

Paul Brown’s State Champs Score At Will

Against Clevelanders In Inaugural Game

By JIM SCHLEMMER

CATHEDRAL LATIN’S grid team, Cleveland champions, either is weaker this year than last….or Massillon’s mighty Tigers are stronger than ever before.

For the state championship Tigers romped to a 64 – 0 triumph over Latin last night before 17,000 fans in Massillon Stadium and did it with so much ease that the game lacked all semblance of a contest.

Sixty-four points, and these naturally do not include two brilliantly staged touchdown plays which were wiped out because of Massillon rule infringements.

Coach Paul Brown lifted his entire varsity team shortly after the second half got under way and never again returned his regulars to the field. The change only slowed down but did not stop the Tiger scoring.

Possibly if the announcement of Canton McKinley’s 57 – 0 win over Cleveland Lincoln had not been made at the field the Tigers would have been a bit more kind towards Latin. But Massillon is an outfit never willing to be outdone by McKinley. The topping of 57 points was inevitable.

Brown started 10 experienced players and they started scoring right off the bat. Three times in the first quarter – first on a 32-yard line play by Pokey Blunt, then on a 50-yard ground gainer pass play from Tom James to Horace Gillom, the pass being 30 and the run 20; and then on a triple reverse with Blunt winding up as the carrier and scampering 20 yards….all within the space of eight minutes.

James’ pass to Blunt set up the next touchdown, in the second period, and Blunt eventually went over from the four-yard stripe, after which the Tigers tamed their attack and fiddled away until half time.

On the third play of the second half Gillom swept right end for 41-yards and six points. Minutes later, following a recovered Latin fumble, James jumped over tackle for the sixth touchdown and when Ray Getz place-kicked the 45th point the varsity was jerked.

Dick Adams intercepted a Latin pass and came back to Latin’s 41-yard line from where the second-stringers went to work to boost the point total. Adams and Junior White collaborated to get to the three – and from there Adams made it 51 points

And that’s how it stood until the fourth quarter when in the first minute White swept his left end and raced 77 yards for the next touchdown to make it 57. That only tied McKinley’s total…

So……Adams on a cutback went 14 yards for the 10th Tiger tally, with half of the final period still remaining. But that was enough.

In the second quarter Getz had gone over from the 19-yard line only to have a holding penalty called, and not many minutes later James swept his right end from the 10-yard line into pay territory only to have this one ruled out for the same reason.

Latin had plenty of size, the only measurement in which the Clevelanders did have an advantage. The Tigers are light, particularly in the backfield, but their speed is tremendous.

They will simply out race the opposition to the goal line this season, in the event there is any opposition encountered before the McKinley classic.

Red Bird’s band established some sort of new record for first game perfection. Last year Latin’s band gave Massillon’s a run for top honor and Latin’s team scored 13 points in losing by only 40 – 13. Last night the Tiger show was completely a Tiger proposition.

Massillon Pos. Cathedral Latin
Robinson le Haggerty
Cardinal lt Lange
Wallace lg Hirsch
Appleby c Mahon
Russell rg Meter
Broglio rt Fougerousse
Gillom re McFadden
Klingham q Cousineau
James lh Mason
Getz rh Sague
Blunt f Reinartz

Massillon 20 12 25 7 – 64

Substitutions: Massillon – Cardinal, g; Pizzino, f; Erdley, h;
White, h; E. Getz, g; Weisgerber, t; Adams, h; Bray, e;
Hill, g; Stout, c; Graber, h; Dolman, t; Holt, q; Fuchs, c.
Latin – Lange, t; Phelps, c; Prokop, q; Brown, h.

Touchdowns – Blunt 3, Gillom 3, Getz, Adams 2,
James, White.

Extra points – Getz 2 (place kicks), Pizzino (plunge)

Referee – Brubaker.
Umpire – Jenkins.
Linesman – Graf.
Field Judge – Hudson.

POWERFUL TEAM LIFTS LID
WITH IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER
CATHEDRAL LATIN
Massillon Opens Its Colorful Football Show
So City Forgets World’s Woe

War, Election Take Back Seat As Tigers Open Grid Season

MASSILLON, Sept. 14. – London bombing, blitzkriegs and presidential candidates must take a back seat in Massillon for the next nine weeks for one of the country’s greatest high school gridiron combination of muscle and music has swept into action, carrying every resident of this football-mad city into the annual pigskin fervor.

A record opening game crowd of nearly 17,000 has already forgotten Friday night’s 64 – 0 massacre over Cleveland’s Cathedral Latin and has already turned its attention to next Friday night’s battle with Weirton, W. Va.

A newcomer to the Tiger schedule, Weirton promises opposition principally on the strength of the unusually heavy lineup. Heaviest of the team is a six-foot two-inch lineman weighing 198 pounds, several pounds heavier than any of Massillon’s starting players. Two more of the West Virginia players top 180 pounds, and only one drops to 150 pounds, the usual high school weight.

A Weirton newspaperman attended the game Friday night and declared that Massillon should not be able to defeat Weirton by more than 13 points. If Weirton can hold the Bengals to a 13-point victory it will be a signal honor, for the lowest score last season was a 20-6 victory in the annual battle between Massillon and Canton McKinley.

Tickets Go On Sale

Tickets for the Weirton game went on sale yesterday, with an advance expectation of a crowd of at least 16,000. Fifteen hundred reserve seats at $1 each and 500 student tickets have been sent to Weirton fans, who will come by special train to witness one of the famous Massillon gridiron shows.

With the record standing at one down and nine to go, Massillon residents already have a gleam of the sixth consecutive state championship title in their eye. It will probably remain a mystery how a city of 27,000 residents can draw crowds as high as 20,000 to high school football games.

Newest event of Friday night’s game was the spangled chorus girl costumes of Band Director George Bird’s six drum majorettes. Made by a Navarre dressmaker, the new costumes made an instant hit and are well adapted to the blackout drills, the band performs with lights.

Miss Leeper A Veteran

Only one of the majorettes, Mary Leeper, is a veteran from last year. The other five, Betty Luttrell, Jerry Show, Marjorie Marks, Ann Anania and Beverly Hanicq, are new.

Bird’s band, rated as the best in the state, if not the country, will present a novelty dance act to the music of “Madam Lazonga” at the Weirton game. “Obie,” the tiger mascot, who is Bob Farkas dressed in a $400 tiger skin, will dress as the madam in the novelty act, representative of Bird’s amazing ability to produce both an unparalleled marching swing band and a half-time vaudeville show.

The Massillon Booster club, enthusiastic organization of Massillon men which is the power behind the Tiger throne, sponsored a banquet for newspapermen prior to the Latin game. Gifts of zipper traveling cases in the shape of a football, complete with the receiver’s name and a Tiger head embossed on the side, a razor, file, shaving soap, tooth paste and manicuring scissors were distributed to each newspaperman.